The digitization of media content (e.g., movies, music videos, educational content, television shows, live events, advertising, literary works, audio programs, and other media assets) is becoming more and more common with the advent of technology that allows content suppliers to derive revenues from these assets in a digital marketplace. There is a cost for entry into the digital space that requires infrastructure and processes to effectively manage and distribute various forms of media content, particularly over high bandwidth channels of communication (e.g., digital cable, Internet protocol, and satellite). Content suppliers are not traditionally equipped to handle these requirements. They would benefit from a platform and service offering that removes the barrier to entry into the digital marketplace.
There is also a problem on the content user side. For purposes hereof, a “content user” is any person or entity that sells or otherwise exploits media content. A content user may be, for example, the content supplier, a digital services platform operator, an online site builder, an educational institution, application service provider, or a retailer. One issue facing content users is that consumers want to enter online “malls” or stores that allow them to browse and purchase a wide variety of content choices. This presents unique challenges to content users wishing to develop and sell compelling digital services to these consumers. For example, consumers are used to contemporary brick and mortar stores that allow them to browse and purchase from a fully “aggregated” content offering (e.g., a record store). This offering is not content supplier specific; rather, it is grouped by genres and aisles that make sense to the consumer. In short, a consumer looking for music content does not browse the “Brand X” aisle looking for “Brand X” content offerings; instead they browse “New Releases” and “Rock.” Consumers expect an aggregated content set. For purposes hereof, “consumers” are people who view, listen, or otherwise interact with the media content (e.g., people watching television).
This consumer expectation is a problem for online site builders, for example, in that an online site dedicated to the sale of movies or music must be content rich and diverse. It must attempt to emulate the brick and mortar equivalent that consumers use today. While many content owners are looking to build an online entertainment site that is branded and full of their content, such sites are fundamentally too abstract, segmented, and potentially uninteresting to online consumers.
In addition, many content suppliers are not skilled in the art of digitizing and managing content for diverse digital service platforms (e.g., cable set-top box and satellite platforms). Traditional brick and mortar establishments typically do not sell media content in digital form and have not dealt with issues such as encoding, encryption and license tracking. Other issues regarding media content distribution, such as streaming and digital downloading, also provide significant barriers to entry for content suppliers not adept at delivering media content electronically to the consumer.
Finally, the aggregation of compelling and diverse media content often requires licenses from numerous content suppliers who impose restrictions on the use of their media content. The ability to individually manage each media asset from each content supplier in accordance with their varying restrictions and requirements can also be a daunting task for many content users. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a digital service platform that offers a wide variety of content to a consumer and provides an end-to-end solution for managing media content (including advertising and e-commerce), providing enhanced content-related services (e.g., digital rights management (DRM)), collecting consumer information (e.g., billing), and electronically delivering the content to a content user or consumer.